


A Hop, Skip, and a Jump (working title)

by razz



Series: Not Like Cars on a Cable [1]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Ambiguous/Open Ending, F/M, Genderswap, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-10
Updated: 2013-02-10
Packaged: 2017-11-28 02:45:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/669352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/razz/pseuds/razz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John finds himself in the next timeline over and seeks out Rodney for help back to his own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Hop, Skip, and a Jump (working title)

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this near the end of December 2011, but haven't posted it before.

His phone calls to the SGC were met with suspicion. John wasn't sure what was currently going on, so he decided to go straight to the source.

Cheyenne Mountain housed many of their employees in a gated community off the interstate, and there was one diner with really good breakfast nearby. He figured if he was really lucky he might catch someone he recognized from an SG team. He'd settle for anyone who could take him to the scientists, so he could get back home.

He wasn't expecting to see Rodney stepping out the door just as he was approaching it, but he felt better immediately. He couldn't ask for a better person to help him get back home.

"Rodney!"

His relief was short lived, when no recognition lit the man's face. Instead, Rodney blinked at him rapidly.

"Yes?" He asked slowly. Damn. So, switching tactics...

"Can I get your opinion on a problem I'm having, Dr. McKay?"

"Oh," there was a spark of something, but before he got his hopes up, Rodney was waving dismissively. "You must be from the SGC, I've told you people! I won't work without my wife on the expedition. Can I see your identification?" 

Wife? 

"Well-" he tried to think of a good way to explain why he didn't have any on him. It had been morning on Atlantis and he was still in his running clothes.

"Yes yes yes, you're here in a non-official capacity, just like the last representative. I'll simply look you up at home, where I'll have _my wife_ present. I really don't see where the confusion is coming from. You want me to return to the expedition - I _won't go_ without my wife, it's so simple even a monkey could see the solution."

"Look McKay, I've got nothing against your wife." Not entirely true - but irrelevent to his current problem. "What I want to talk to you about is a different situation."

Rodney scoffed, "Jen is just as vital to the expedition as I am myself. She's brilliant and just because she finds herself in this situation, _through no fault of her own_ \- or mine for that matter, does not mean your military can eject her from our home like this."

"Um, I'm not arguing that." Even though, Jennifer Keller? A vital part of the expedition? Well, maybe an important part but not exactly irreplaceable. "She's great." Even if he was so envious of her that it hurt. He glanced around to make sure there was no one close enough to overhear. "I need help with a little problem with alternate realities." Might as well derail Rodney's rant by just coming to the point.

"Excuse me?" Rodney blinked at him. "Oh, I thought you seemed very familiar, although I thought it was because you were one of the peons from the SGC. Do you even work for the SGC at all?"

He could see Rodney running through what he'd already said to see if he'd divulged any secrets.

"Yes, I'm from Atlantis. In my universe, you're our head of science."

"Ha, some things never change. Well, I suppose your IDC may work."

"You have everyone's IDC memorized?"

Rodney raised an impatient, yet smug eyebrow.

"Uh huh. What if they're different?"

"What if they aren't? Anyway, it's a start."

John rattled it off and watched as Rodney blinked at him in surprise. Then, he smiled a smile that made John shiver. Rodney swept his eyes up and down him, studying John. 

"Huh," it was a sound John was used to hearing when a new piece of a puzzle was dropped into Rodney's lap. Rodney smiled at him in a bemused fashion. 

"Right, well then, Colonel Shepperd, right?" He didn't wait for a response, "Right. Well, it's very nice to meet you!" He held out his hand to shake.

It both warmed John, and made him cautious, that Rodney was being so friendly. Rodney usually didn't take to people so quickly. If he hadn't recognized John right off the bat, then wasn't that an indication that he wasn't part of Rodney's circle here? He had a sinking suspicion that he just might be dead in this universe.

"You too McKay." 

Rodney bounced on his feet, "And I think my wife would like to meet you as well." A spark of glee made Rodney's face light up. "Between the three of us, we should be able to return you in no time. I'm sure your Meredith is worried."

"Er, what?"

"Oh, so I'm not-" he cut himself off, "hmm well, let's start now and fill Jen in when we get there. What is your first name? Tell me about yourself."

"I'm John Shepperd. Lt. Colonel as you already guessed. I like ferris wheels-" 

McKay cut him off, "College football and anything that goes over 200 miles per hour!" His eyes sparkled.

"Stop me if you've heard this one before, McKay." Rodney giggled. John swallowed convulsively. He'd never seen his Rodney do that before.

"Well, this will be a distraction worth the inconvenience, I can tell! I can't wait to see what Jen will say."

John swallowed again, "So, you and Keller, huh?" The question felt raw in his throat, and he was afraid it popped out with a more choked tone than anything that could be mistaken for congratulatory.

"What?" Rodney squawked. "I, you! What?" His face showed concern, he moved into John's space. John drew a sharp breath as Rodney cupped his face tenderly, "No, J-John, not Keller." Rodney moved his hand to grab John's, and started up the street toward the neighborhoods. John was too startled to do anything but follow. 

"Where do you get these ideas? Jen's the same way." He stopped at a small grey house with large windows. Rattling the keys in one hand he tugged John's with the other. "Come on, I want to see your reactions at the same time. Jen!" He was bouncing with each step.

A woman was seated at a desk strewn with print outs. She turned as they entered. He was struck by a strong discordant sense of familiarity, but he'd never seen her before in his life. Rodney was swinging his gaze between them excitedly, as if watching a ping pong match. 

"John Sheppard, meet Jen Sheppard-McKay. Jen, meet Lt. Colonel John Sheppard, visiting from another dimension." He bounced again on his feet. 

John felt his eyebrows trying to meet his hairline. His thoughts were a tangle of panic, surprise, shock, excitement, and a part that just wanted to start laughing in relief and possibly hysteria. The woman wore a matching expression. He grimaced at the same time she did, and they both turned to Rodney for a cue. The man in question seemed to deflate. 

"That was anticlimactic. I should have expected constipated-feelings-look, number-5. All right, we have work to do." He walked out of the front room. 

"You're married?" John's chest felt stupidly tight.

Jen smiled slow and fierce, "Yep he's mine. Is your Rodney a woman?"

John shook his head, "He's not my Rodney."

Jen frowned, "Are you-"

"I won't-"

Rodney blustered back around the corner, "Follow me, colonels." Jen raised an eyebrow at him. "Please?" he amended.


End file.
